Pianist and official Shigeru Kawai Artist Jerico Vasquez has been described as “formidable and effortless.” He is both a teacher and a performer — acting as the Artist-in-Residence and Professor of Music at Shorter University in Rome, Georgia and performing around the world as a concerto soloist, collaborative musician and recitalist. His performances have been heard across North America, Europe, and Asia.

Vasquez received his bachelor’s degree from the University of California, Santa Barbara under the mentorship of Dr. Charles Asche. He went on to gain a master’s degree and a doctorate of musical arts in piano performance from the Moores School of Music at the University of Houston under the mentorship of Ruth Tomfohrde, Abbey Simon and Horacio Gutiérrez.

Their mentorship has turned Vasquez into a remarkable teacher. His students have won multiple prizes in a wide range of competitions, including the Blinn College Young Pianist Competition, the Rome Symphony Concerto Competition, the HMTA/HYAC Concerto Competition, and the Chopin International Youth Competition. It’s no surprise then that so many of his students have progressed through some of the world’s most prestigious musical graduate programs, including the University of Houston’s Moores School of Music, the University of Cincinnati College-Conservatory of Music, and Eastman School of Music.

Vasquez’ own performances have been highly acclaimed. Recent performances include a solo recital on behalf of the Manila Chamber Orchestra Foundation at the Ayala Museum in the Philippines and a series of recitals for  the Piano Technicians Guild Convention, the Kirk Concert and Masterclass Series.

He’s not just a soloist, however. As an accomplished vocal collaborator, Vasquez has worked with leading singers including Ann Cravero, Deborah Popham, Indra Thomas, Cynthia Wohlschlager, and Chuck Chandler. His most recent collaboration was with Yuman Lee, where they performed Schubert’s Winterreise in auditoriums across Texas, Oklahoma and Georgia. They released a CD of this recital in October 2020.